Chapter 31: Little One, I Owe You a Favor

As evening approached, Lin Xuefei returned home looking despondent. Lin Xiaodou, seeing her in such a state, immediately knew things had not gone well. It was hardly surprising—the male lead had lost a large shipment of goods, and his mood was certainly sour. Now, with the false heiress running off to complain to him once again, how could he possibly have the patience to comfort her?

During dinner, Lin Zhengmin and Wu Ya got into a heated argument over some trivial matter. Neither was willing to back down, and the atmosphere grew tense and unpleasant. Lin Xuefei, caught in the middle, tried to mediate but failed to calm either side. Distressed, she was on the verge of tears.

Wu Ya, growing impatient, suddenly snapped, “Why are you crying? This is all your fault! How dare you cry!” Earlier that day, when she went shopping, all the ladies who used to flatter her were suddenly distant. Upon inquiry, she learned that the events at the mall yesterday had already spread, and everyone was mocking her behind her back. Wu Ya never expected the gossip to travel so quickly in just one night. Truly, bad news travels fast!

Ultimately, it all traced back to Lin Xuefei running into someone on her bicycle. If she hadn’t tried to make Lin Xiaodou take the blame, Lin Xiaodou would never have set foot in the Lin household, and none of this would have happened.

She couldn’t quite explain why, but before Xuefei’s true parentage was revealed, no matter how much trouble Xuefei caused, Wu Ya never grew impatient with her—if anything, she was endlessly tolerant. But now, knowing that Xuefei was not her biological daughter, her patience had worn thin. Blood ties, after all, exert their quiet influence. Yet, she found herself unable to feel any fondness for Lin Xiaodou. The girl was simply too plain and uncouth, completely at odds with Wu Ya’s ideal of a daughter. Heaven seemed to delight in mischief—why couldn’t she have a perfect daughter of her own?

“Why are you shouting at Xuefei? Don’t take your frustrations out on the child!” Lin Zhengmin, in contrast to Wu Ya’s impulsiveness, was far more composed. He was genuinely fond of Xuefei, but he also valued her for the benefits she brought to the family.

Hearing her husband speak up, Wu Ya felt even more stifled. “Am I not allowed to discipline my own child as an elder? I’ve lost my appetite—this is infuriating!”

With that, Wu Ya threw down her chopsticks and stormed out. Lin Xuefei burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. Lin Zhengmin’s face grew dark and forbidding. The air was thick with tension.

Lin Xiaodou, however, remained completely unaffected, eating her meal at a leisurely pace. In just two days, the supposedly warm and harmonious family had unraveled. Was it because they had lived too easy a life, never facing adversity? No—it was simply their true nature surfacing. Lin Zhengmin was hypocritical, Wu Ya impulsive, and Lin Xuefei spoiled. In the past, with no conflicting interests, they had managed to coexist peacefully. But ever since Lin Xiaodou entered their lives and disturbed the calm surface, everything had fallen into disarray. Small matters, once overlooked, now became barbs lodged in their hearts, festering until they erupted into conflict.

Wu Ya was now in precisely this state. But this was not enough. Lin Xiaodou’s goal was to gradually dismantle the trust and affection between them, to see every bond shattered, leaving each of them isolated and miserable. Only such retribution would be truly satisfying.

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For the next two days, the atmosphere in the Lin household remained heavy. Lin Zhengmin and Wu Ya both went off to work, while Lin Xuefei sulked in her room. With nothing to occupy her, Lin Xiaodou wandered the neighborhood. One evening, as she was passing a small park on her way home, she encountered an elderly man with a deeply troubled expression. He was carrying a birdcage in which sat a green parrot, looking listless and drooping, slumped motionless inside the cage.

The old man muttered anxiously, “Greenie, please eat something. You’re not eating, and it’s making me terribly worried.” Hearing his voice, the parrot struggled to lift its head and squawked weakly a few times.

Lin Xiaodou paused. She could communicate with animals and naturally understood their speech. When the parrot called out, she immediately grasped its problem. After a moment’s thought, she decided to help the poor creature.

She approached and spoke up, “Sir, your parrot seems to be ill. You should take it to a vet as soon as possible.” The old man sighed, “I know it’s sick. I took it to the vet just yesterday, but they couldn’t find anything wrong.”

“I’ve studied a bit about veterinary care,” Lin Xiaodou said. “According to the books, there are many things parrots shouldn’t eat—like mushrooms and beans. Think back: did you feed it anything like that in the past couple of days?”

She deliberately steered his thoughts in that direction. At her words, the old man slapped his thigh. “That’s right! My grandson was playing around a few days ago and fed it some beans. What should I do? Will it be all right?”

“It’s nothing serious, just a bit of an upset stomach. Take it to the vet and ask for some medicine, and it should recover,” Lin Xiaodou reassured him.

“Oh, thank you, young lady. I’ll go right away.” The old man added, “Which family are you from? I’d like to thank you properly.”

Lin Xiaodou waved off his offer, saying it was nothing but a small favor. “You don’t know how much you’ve helped me,” he said gratefully. “This parrot was my father’s favorite companion. Before he fell ill and slipped into a coma, he would bring Greenie to the park every day. If he wakes up and finds out Greenie wasn’t cared for, he’ll surely scold me with his cane!”

At that, a look of fond remembrance and sadness flickered in his eyes. He paused, then smiled at Lin Xiaodou. “Little one, I owe you a favor. I live just around the corner—my surname is Wang, but everyone calls me Professor Wang. If you ever need anything, you’re welcome to come find me at my home.”